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4. FINALLY, I THINK THAT THE QUESTION OF WHETHER ZHOU NAN SHOULD BE INVITED TO VISIT HONG KONG IS NOT REALLY RELEVANT TO THIS PARTICULAR
ISSUE. AS I EXPLAINED TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE WE HAVE NO OBJECTION
IN PRINCIPLE TO ZHOU COMING HERE, BUT IF HE WERE TO COME ON A
SUBSTANTIVE VISIT HE WOULD BE BESIEGED BY THE PRESS ON A NUMBER
OF SENSITIVE ISSUES INCLUDING THE CHINESE ATTITUDE ON DIRECT ELECTIONS. UNHELPFUL PUBLIC PRONOUNCEMENTS ABOUT THE CHINESE
POSITION COULD SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLICATE AN ALREADY DIFFICULT TASK.
I NATURALLY EXPECT TO SEE ZHOU DURING MY VISITS TO PEKING, BUT I NEED TO SEE ALSO JI PENGFEI, LI HOU AND LU PING. THE EVIDENCE OF MY
SEPTEMBER VISIT AND WILSON'S MEETINGS EARLY THIS MONTH SHOWS CLEARLY THAT IT IS THEY RATHER THAN ZHOU WHO ARE PREPARED TO TALK
IN DETAIL ABOUT ISSUES OF SUBSTANCE RELATED TO THE DRAFTING OF THE
BASIC LAW.
YOUDE
YYYY
HMLNAN 4118
LIMITED
но/нко
MR GILLMORE
MR WILSON
*
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